Offhand shooting: What's considered "good?"

[corncob]

Being dove season, I have a lot of empty 12 ga. shells around, which I have been perforating with my .22. At about .75-in across, I can only hit one about half of the time at 20-30 yards offhand? Since I've not spent much time shooting rifles, and then only mostly groups, I am wondering how I'm doing.

I try to shoot it like a handgun--relaxing, breathing, etc.--but the scope dances around so much, even at 2X. I have a hard time pulling the trigger deliberately. And even when I do I only connect half of the time. I realize that, even though I'd be perfectly comfortable dropping them at half that distance half the time with a pistol, the fact that I can see my misses through the scope is psyching me out. Plus without being able to see the rest of the group, I don't have that familiar "group size" metric. I guess I can say half my shots are within at least 6 MOA--most probably paper plate at 100 yds (I guess that doesn't seem so bad for offhand). But how ragged must the whole group be? And how am I supposed to focus on shooting with that dancing sight picture?

Any handgunners have a similar experience? Any thoughts on measuring "hits" versus "group size?" Any advice for getting comfortable with a scope?

 

[Loomis]

I was about to say that is very good. But then I noticed you are using a scope. I've never used a scope on a pistol and don't know how much of an advantage that gives a person.

 

[corncob]

Sorry--I am talking about a .22 rifle. I've never shot a handgun with a scope either.

 

[Shawnee]

When you shoot groups from a bench you are trying to hold the crosshairs dead still.

Shooting pure offhand - holding the crosshairs deadstill is a tall order.

Try controlling the dance of the crosshairs instead of trying to stop it.

For example - you could begin with the intersection of the crosshairs beneath the shotgun hull - center the hull (more or less) on the vertical crosshair - then try to raise the intersection onto and through (vertically) the hull, as if you were tracing the hull with your vertical crosshair. When you can do that (more or less), try timing a shot just as the intersection moves onto the bottom of the shotgun hull but before it moves above the top.

Probably clear as mud but IF you can visualize it and IF you practice a little I'll bet Art Eatman's next paycheck that you'll be hitting those hulls with regularity.

 

[trickyasafox]

that isn't bad shooting. If you want practice- try Hi-power shooting. 200 yards off hand / seated, 300 yards prone and 600 yards either prone or reduced depending on your club. its a great time and you'll meet nice people.

 

[RyanM]

The vast majority of people I've seen can't even hit a paper plate half the time at 25 yards offhand, so I'd say you're doing well.

 

[corncob]

Unfortunately there isn't a club anywhere around here. BTW, seated and slung I can hit 5 for 5.

I like the idea of sweeping the reticle over the target. I imagine a controlled motion could take your focus off the "dance."

 

[Shawnee]

"I imagine a controlled motion could take your focus off the "dance.""


A lot of the "dance" comes from the muscle tension of trying to hold "deadstill".

The only way to "control the dance" is to relax (ie. ditch the tension), and once you do that you'll have gotten rid of most of the problem. Works like a charm.

 

[Loomis]

I can't remember for sure, but it seems to me a 22LR is no good for one hundred yards because at that distance the bullet will at some point make a transition from supersonic to subsonic. The transition jarrs the bullet somehow and destroys all accuracy.

It seems like I learned about this the hard way years ago when I tried to sight in a 22LR at 125 yards with a massive 12 power scope...just for kicks. The scope cost more than the rifle.

 

[Slamfire]

If you ever shoot at a Highpower match, one of the stages is offhand. When you shoot across the course, Offhand is shot at 200 yards. The ten ring is about 7 inches at that distance.

At Camp Perry, during the Nationals, there are always some shooters who will place 10 or 20 shots within the ten ring offhand. Depending on the day, the wind, and the heat, that could be a winning score, or in the upper ten. There was one windy day, out of 800 or so shooters, the winner had a score of like a 181.

Shooters are allowed to wear a heavy coat, and the first picture is of highpower shooters shooting offhand. The equipment does help in steadying the shooter.

I have shot 99's with some of my rifles in Leg Matches, but I was unable to get a picture of my target. I have been able to take pictures of targets at 100 yard reduced ranges.

The second picture is from a friend of mine. It is exceptionally good, 99-7X . He was shooting a AR with a post. The ten ring is 3.3" and the X ring is 1.30", at 100 yards.

The third picture is one of mine, shot with a M1a, this year. While the score is still a 99, my friends target was far better and more controlled. Still, I was happy.

I have never shot a 100 or a 200 standing.

Offhand is very difficult, and takes a lot of practice before you ever shoot 90% of score.

 

[IndianaBoy]

Loomis you can avoid the transonic problem by shooting subsonic ammo. Then the problem becomes having a scope with enough adjustment for the rainbow trajectory of a 22 at that range. Tangent sights work great.

 

[woof]

I think more shooters should care about their offhand shooting because that's reality. For me, I always say silver dollar at 25 yds, pop can at 50 and dinner plate at 100.

 

[Loomis]

bah! I'll stick to handguns. Too much walking involved with setting up targets for rifles.

Thanks for the info though.

 

[Coal Dragger]

One bit of advice I will give in shooting offhand (which I practice with some frequency) is to try and break your shot within the first 2-3 seconds of being on target. Waiting longer to try and get more steady will do you no good and you will fatigue much more quickly. Get the shot off quick, and if you can't start the whole sequence over again until you break it right.

It is infuriating to practice but it will help.